This article was first published on Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS).
Museum cooperation between Czechia and Taiwan has been exceptionally strong and steady since the 2000s. How telling is this kind of cooperation about the cultural partnership? to have an indigenous boat specially built and gifted, or to have the famous Jadeite Cabbage lent to Czechia?
Key takeaways:
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The two recent Czech–Taiwan collaborative exhibitions emerged from entirely different background initiatives.
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Personal ties are the true engine of Czech–Taiwan museum cooperation. The interpersonal networks often prove more durable and effective than formal political agreements alone.
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From the Taiwanese perspective, cultural exchange is a way to strengthen democratic partnerships and international visibility, whereas Czech actors increasingly perceive Taiwan through the lens of technological and economic opportunities.
When the National Museum in Prague announced that it would host one of Taiwan’s greatest cultural treasures, the famous Jadeite Cabbage from the National Palace Museum in Taipei, the event was celebrated as a remarkable achievement of Czech–Taiwan relations. The exhibition, titled 100 Treasures: 100 Stories, was an extremely rare opportunity for the national jadeite gem to travel overseas. Likewise, the symbolic gift of a specially built indigenous Taiwanese canoe to Czechia, presented in the exhibition Taiwan’s Heritage, which opened in April 2025 at the National Technical Museum in Prague, suggests that cultural diplomacy, especially museum cooperation, has become a notable pillar of bilateral ties. The two cases exemplify a potent connection and cooperation between the two countries, yet the stories behind them vary.
The Czech Ministry of Culture sought the opportunity to display the National Palace Museum´s artifacts as early as 2003, but negotiations stalled at the time due to diplomatic pressure from China. It took Czechia over 20 years to regain the trust of its Taiwanese counterpart, which then entrusted its most famous cultural heritage to foreign hands. The last (and until then the only) time the Jadeite Cabbage left Taiwanese soil was in 2014, when it was displayed in Tokyo. The Prague exhibition in 2025 was undeniably a result of intensified political activity between Taipei and Prague, including several high-profile delegations undertaken by both sides over the past five years. The other Taiwan-related exhibition, which introduced Taiwanese indigenous culture and traditional art techniques, was the result of a long-term institutional partnership between museum curators from the National Technical Museum and the National Taiwan Museum.
Different initiatives, different drivers
The existence of two distinct mechanisms driving the cultural relationship—top-down political efforts and bottom-up individual connections—became apparent in the diverse perspectives offered by two museum professionals interviewed by the author of this article about the museum exchange. Both are heavily involved in cultural cooperation between Taiwan and Czechia, and both were interviewed anonymously.
The Taiwanese respondent described cooperation as initially driven by ministries and diplomatic offices, which in 2005 encouraged museum exchanges between the two countries. The exhibition A Thousand Faces of Formosa, organized by the Czech and Taiwanese Ministries of Culture, became the first major case of a museum exchange to stem from government officials’ initiatives. It was followed by the Traditional Czech Puppets exhibition in 2007, a traveling exhibition dedicated to Czech Gems in 2009, and, in 2024, the Czech Cultural and Economic Office in Taipei also organized an exhibition of Czech Castles and Chateaus.
The Czech respondent presented a rather different narrative. In his experience, cooperation emerged not from ministries but from individual encounters. After meeting Taiwanese colleagues at an international museum conference in 2011, he personally initiated an exhibition about Czech science at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, followed by the large-scale exhibition I C Taiwan at the National Technical Museum in Prague.
The exhibition on Taiwan´s indigenous heritage resulted directly from these previous initiatives. Following its success, the curators are now preparing an exhibition dedicated to the Taiwanese semiconductor industry. , the latest initiative concerns a training program that will send 15 young Taiwanese museum professionals to Czechia to study museum practice and establish long-term institutional networks. Rather than attributing these achievements to government strategy, the Czech respondent described the different projects as products of individual enthusiasm, academic entrepreneurship, and long-term friendships.
The difference in perspective is clear. The Taiwanese respondent views ministries and diplomatic structures as essential catalysts that create opportunities that museums themselves later develop. The Czech respondent, by contrast, emphasized personal agency, insisting that projects succeeded thanks to committed individuals who decided to act, with governments providing support only after the specific initiatives were already underway. Both interviews point to a model of museum cooperation that draws on both official political backing and initiatives by individual institutions and professionals.
Seeking friends or seeking resources
How do the differences in rationales and mechanisms behind the two cultural projects mirror the motivations driving the bilateral partnership? The Taiwanese respondent repeatedly framed cooperation through the lens of shared democratic experience. He argued that both societies underwent difficult political transitions and therefore understand the value of democracy, cultural preservation, and national identity in similar ways. In his view, cooperation with Czechia is built primarily on trust, common historical experiences, and mutual respect rather than economic interests.
The Czech respondent offered a considerably more pragmatic interpretation. While openly expressing his affection for Taiwan and describing it as a personal “second home,” he argued that Taiwan’s growing interest in Czechia is largely explained by the island’s unusually open political environment, which has enabled Taiwanese institutions to expand their cultural presence in Europe. Conversely, he believes that current Czech political interest in Taiwan is increasingly shaped by expectations surrounding semiconductors and integration into Taiwan’s technological supply chain. In his view, many cultural and academic memoranda have generated only modest practical outcomes, whereas semiconductor cooperation has become the dominant strategic priority.
Personal ties above all
Despite these differences, both interviewees agree that personal relationships constitute the true backbone of museum cooperation. Both describe extensive informal networks connecting curators, directors, researchers, and cultural officials across the two countries. The Taiwanese respondent emphasized that museum-to-museum cooperation has largely replaced ministry-led initiatives, while the Czech respondent characterized the activities as “a bridge” connecting people who might otherwise never meet. Such observations suggest that successful cultural diplomacy depends less on formal agreements than on trusted individuals capable of translating institutional ambitions into concrete projects.
The interviewees agree that dependence on a relatively small number of highly motivated individuals poses a certain challenge. International museum collaboration often relies on specialized expertise, personal contacts, and project-based funding. Should these key actors retire, or funding priorities change, institutional practices and established networks may quickly weaken.
Nevertheless, lending the Jadeite Cabbage, the most iconic object in Taiwan’s National Palace Museum, or constructing and gifting an indigenous ceremonial boat . It remains to be seen whether the Taiwanese bet on Czechia as a cultural partner will remain safe even in the next few years.